Why do alot of EMTs go into nursing?
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JPINFV
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Nursing school is easier to get into and through than medical school...
JPINFV
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Yea, and nursing is a completely different profession than paramedic.
Nursing can also be completed with relatively minimal pre-reqs, guaranteed admission (how many nursing programs have wait lists?) and you can get in and out in 2-3 years. Medicine, on the other hand, requires about 2 years of specific pre-reqs, a bachelor degree (which can include the pre-reqs), an admissions test, 4 years of medical school, 3+ years of residency and fellowship training, and there's absolutely no guarantee that you will ever be admitted since med school wait lists are normally either purged after every application cycle OR extremely limited with guaranteed admission for the next year only.
Nursing can also be completed with relatively minimal pre-reqs, guaranteed admission (how many nursing programs have wait lists?) and you can get in and out in 2-3 years. Medicine, on the other hand, requires about 2 years of specific pre-reqs, a bachelor degree (which can include the pre-reqs), an admissions test, 4 years of medical school, 3+ years of residency and fellowship training, and there's absolutely no guarantee that you will ever be admitted since med school wait lists are normally either purged after every application cycle OR extremely limited with guaranteed admission for the next year only.
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I just figured perhaps nursing was the next logical choice in patient care, as I see by the number of EMTs I worked with in my private company who went to nursing school. While those factors you mentioned are valid, you also have to take into account that nursing isn't for everyone. I know a PA that worked for a little bit while he was in PA school, but its not like alot go into PA...
Shishkabob
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I see a greater percentage of PAs who used to be Paramedics than nurses that used to be medics...
As to why? Better pay, better hours.
As to why? Better pay, better hours.
JPINFV
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Shishkabob
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Doesn't make it any less anecdotal OR true ^_^
Oh yes, I just used both those in the same sentence.
Oh yes, I just used both those in the same sentence.
JPINFV
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Never said it did. Just pointing out that "greater percent" and "greater number" aren't the same thing.
Shishkabob
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Which is why I phrased it the way I did 
Despite the fact that paramedicine insist on comparing itself to nursing, the jobs are rather different. A paramedic is probably far closer functionally to a mid-level provider than a nurse.
Of course if we compared ourselves to PAs and NPs we'd have to admit how inadequate our education really is...
Of course if we compared ourselves to PAs and NPs we'd have to admit how inadequate our education really is...
I wanna clarify, I was wondering about the trend in career choice as opposed to the money although I'm sure money plays a role, I really noticed a lot of my emt friends, as well as what ytou see on the discussion threads on emtlife, that a lot go into nursing instead of PA/MD. Of course, you have the few who used ems as a stepping stone (certification, some volunteer hrs) to apply to med school, but the qurstion was directed more at people that work for a living as emts as opposed to Joe Six Pack who takes the class just so it looks good on his resume for med school (although now Hofstra is making PAs and MDs take the emt course_
As is xray tech school, respiratory therapist school, etc. But why nursing?
abckidsmom
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Yep, I used to want to see something like an advanced practice paramedic come along and actually be able to help people with their actual needs on scenes, instead of just driving them to the ER, but the education is just not there for it.
I am a medic who was a medic, who went to nursing school, who worked as a nurse, and bailed from the hospital because I was miserable there. I'm sure I could have survived it now, if I HAD to, but the 22 year old me was outta there!
The personality type that excels as a medic has to be subdued to work in a real, shoulder to shoulder working closely with others for long shifts kinda job. Otherwise the coworkers will all go postal on the former medic.
Pay, pure and simple.
This is precisely why I've pretty much discarded the idea of going to nursing school. The money's better, the hours are better...I just like being somewhat autonomous too much.
Shishkabob
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Ditto. I like how I have not only the authority, but the ability and expectation to make my own decisions and solve problems on my own, using my own brain, not relying on someone else.
Honestly, only nursing I could see myself doing is as a flight nurse, and even then that'd need atleast 5 years in the ER or ICU.
And the ability to go to different areas of medicine when one's bored witht he current area.
abckidsmom
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I refer back to things I learned in my one measely year in a busy ICU all. the. time. If you have time energy and money to do something similar to what I did, then go back to EMS, it can only help you as a medic. All of the nurses I know who left nursing to go back into EMS are in education and QA now, and do their jobs well.
That's pretty anecdotal, and might point to that strong personality failing as a nurse, but succeeding as a medic, but it's a strong trend that I see.
firetender
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The attraction of Nursing would have to be stability, flexibility (career paths) and compensation. EMS just isn't there yet.